Lighter actuating mechanism



June 29, 1954 w. NISSEN LIGHTER ACTUATING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed March 11, 1952 INVENTOR- WA EEE/V MSSE/V.

ATTORNEYS.

June 29, 1954 w. 1. NISSEN LIGHTER ACTUATING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed March 11, 1952 HNB PA Q wwz g W ATTORN Z Patented June 29, 1954LIGHTER ACTUATING MECHANISM Warren I. Nissen, Baskin to Jersey g Ridge,N. J assignor Ronson Corporation, a corporation of New Application March11, 1952, Serial No. 275,887

9 Claims. 1

This invention relates to pyrophoric lighters of the touch tip type inwhich a torch engageable member is employed to actuate a sparkingmechanism, and thus to produce the sparks which ignite a wick at the endof the torch, and particularly to an improved form of actuatingmechanism for the spark-producing member.

To secure proper ignition of the torch in lighters of the touch tiptype, it is important that the Wick end of the torch be in the properposition to receive sparks produced by the sparking mechanism when thesparking mechanism is actuated. Accordingly, it is desirable that thewick end of the torch be in a substantially fixed position ad- J'acentthe spark-producing member when the spark-producing member is actuated.

In lighters of the touch tip type heretofore known, it has beendifficult to produce actuation of the spark-producing member whilemaintaining the torch in a substantially fixed position. In addition, ithas been dimcult to produce a torch operable actuating mechanism for thesparkproducing member which is both simple and economical tomanufacture.

In accordance with the present invention a torch engageable and movablemember is drivingly connected with a spring-pressed second member bymeans of a latch pin which, after movement thereof through apredetermined distance by the torch, is released from one of the membersso that the second member rapidly returns to its initial or idleposition. The second member is drivingly interconnected with thespark-producing member so that, after release of the latch pin andduring the return of the second member to its idle position, thesparking member is moved rapidly producing a large shower of sparks.During the return of the second member to its idle position, the torchmoves only a relatively small amount and hence may be considered assubstantially stationary. The actuating mechanism of my invention may beconstructed with a relatively small number of parts which may be simplyand economically produced.

It is an object of my invention to produce a lighter of the touch titype which may be relatively small in size and which is simple andeconomical to manufacture.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be in part obviousand in part specifically referred to in the description hereinafter setforth which, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,discloses a preferred form of a lighter which is constructed inaccordance with the invention. The disclosure, however, should beconsidered as merely illustrative of the principles of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation view of the preferred embodiment of myinvention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary crosssectional, side elevation view ofthe actuating mechanism of my invention and forming part of theembodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. i is an enlarged plan view partly in cross section of theembodiment shown in Figs. 1-3 and is taken along the line indicated bythe numerals lli in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an exploded view of a portion of the actuating mechanismemployed to drive the spark-producing member in the embodiment shown inthe preceding figures; and

Figs. 6 and 7 are enlarged fragmentary side elevation views partly incross section of the actuating mechanism of my invention and illustrate,respectively, the relative positions of the parts immediately before theactuation of the spark-producing member and the relative positions ofthe parts after the wick of the torch has been ignited.

Referring to the drawings, the preferred embodiment of my inventioncomprises a casing l0 having mounted on the top wall I I thereof a pairof lugs l2 and is which support a shaft I4 secured thereto. Rotatablymounted on the shaft [4 is a hood 15 which partly surrounds asparkproducing member in the form of a sparking wheel I 6 having aserrated periphery. The sparking wheel I6 is rotatable on the shaft I4and is driving-1y connected to the hood l5 by means of a pawl I! whichengages ratchet teeth l8 on the side of the sparking wheel I6. Thus, asthe hood iii is rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed in thevarious figures of the drawings, the sparking wheel I6 is stationary,but as the hood [5 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, asviewed in the drawings, the pawl ll engages the teeth it and rotates thesparking wheel 16 in a counterclockwise direction. The face of thesparking wheel [6 is in engagement with a pyrophoric material, such asthe rod I9 held in the tube 20, and pressed against the wheel 16 by thespring 2! and member 22. Accordingly, when the sparking wheel it isrotated in a counterclockwise direction, sparks are produced which areused to ignite a torch in the manner hereinafter indicated.

A torch engageable member 23 which may comprise the two parts 24 and 25threaded together as shown, may be depressed by means of a torch orother device inserted into the recess 26 in the end of part 24. Thelower end of the part 25 is held within a plunger 2? in the form of acylindrical tube and the upward movement of the member 23 is limited bya shoulder 28. Downward movement of the member 23 with respect to theplunger 27 is limited by the face 29 of the part 24.

The plunger 2! has its exterior wall in slidable engagement with theinterior wall of a guide cylinder or tube 30 which has an open end forreceiving the plunger 27 and a closed end 3|. The cylinder 30 is securedto the top wall ll of the casing [0, such as by solder.

The member 23 is drivingly interconnected with the plunger 27 by meansof a latch pin 32 which has oppositely-slanted end portions 33 and 34,the end portion 341 preferably being conical and the end portion 33preferably lying in a plane which forms an acute angle with the axis ofthe latch pin 28. The latch pin 32 also has a shoulder 35 intermediatethe ends 33 and 34 and also preferably has a shoulder 33 adjacent theend 33.

A latch ring 31 is secured to the end of the plunger 21 and may bethreaded into the end of the plunger 21 as shown. The latch ring 3?provides an inwardly-extending annular shoulder 38 at or near the end ofthe plunger 21. A spring 39 is mounted between the shoulder 33 and theshoulder 36 on the latch pin 32. The spring 39 not only urges the member2.3 in an upward direction and to its idle position, but also inconjunction with the slanted end 33 of the latch pin 32 serves to holdthe latch pin 32 in the tilted position shown in Fig. 3.

The plunger 2i is urged in an upward and hence to its idle position bymeans of a spring 49 mounted within the cylinder 38 between the latchring 3'! and a collar or ring 4i mounted within the cylinder 32! andabutting the end wall 3| thereof. The spring st is much stronger thanthe spring 39 so that even though the spring 39 is completely compressedthe plunger 21' is held in substantially its idle position as shown inFig. 3.

The plunger 2"! is secured to a member 42 which has a rack portion 43which engages a pinion segment 14 mounted on the shaft 14. The hood I iscut out in a form corresponding to the pinion segment 44 so as to matetherewith and so that when the pinion segments 44 are driven by the rackportions :13 the hood I5 is also rotated. Of course, other forms ofdriving interconnection between the member 42 and the hood l5 andbetween the member 42 and the sparking wheel l6 may be employed, but theform shown has been found to give highly satisfactory operation.

The end portion 33 of the latch pin 32 abuts against the part 25 of themember 23 so that when the member 23 is depressed, such as by a torch 45having an end portion 46 which may be inserted in the recess 26 andhaving a wick 41, the latch pin 32 moves with the member 23. Theshoulder 35 on the latch pin 32 is engageable with the latch ring 3'!when the latch pin is tilted as shown in Fig. 3. Thus, as the member 23is depressed, it moves the latch pin 32 in a downward direction andcarries with it the plunger 21 because of the engagement of the shoulder35 with the shoulder 38 of the latch ring 31.

iii

When the member 23 is depressed to the position shown in Fig. 6, thespring 40 is almost fully compressed and the end portion 34 of the latchpin 32 engages the portion of the collar 4| surrounding the aperture inthe collar, the aperture being large enough to receive the end of thelatch pin 32. As the latch pin is further depressed, the engagement ofthe end portion 34 with the collar 4| causes the pin 32 to move awayfrom its position in which the shoulder 35 engages the shoulder 38.After the end portion 34 engages the collar 4|, the latch pin moves onlya relatively short distance before the shoulder 35 becomes completelydisengaged from the shoulder 38 which releases the plunger 27. Theplunger 21 being released moves rapidly in an upward direction becauseof the pressure applied thereto by the spring 46, the plunger 21 movingwith it the member 42 and hence causing rotation of the sparking wheelIt in such a direction that the wick 41 of the torch 45 receives ashower of sparks, as indicated in Fig. 7.

During the time that the plunger 21 moves in an upward direction, themember 23 and hence the torch 45 are substantially stationary and thetorch 45 is in a position best adapted to receive the sparks produced bythe sparking wheel IS in contact with the pyrophoric material 19. As theplunger 21 moves upward and the member 23 remains stationary, the spring39 is compressed as shown in Fig. 7, Fig. '7 illustrating the relativeposition of the parts of the mechanism after the wick 41 is ignited.

When the torch 45 is removed, the spring 39 restores the latch pin 32and the member 23 to their idle positions, as shown in Fig. 3. Themember 48 interconnecting the lugs l2 and I3 serves as a stop for thehood l5 and limits the upward movement of the member 42 and hence theplunger 21.

After the torch 45 has been used, it may be inserted into the holder 49provided therefor and in which the wick 4'! is refueled.

It will be seen that the actuating mechanism of my invention is smalland compact and is relatively simple to construct. Furthermore, theactuating mechanism produces a rapid rotation of the sparking wheel l6which is independent of the pressure applied to the mechanism by theuser of the lighter. In addition, the torch 45 is in a substantiallyfixed position as the sparks are produced and the parts may be arrangedso that when the sparks are produced the wick 4'! of the torch 45 is inthe position best adapted to produce ignition of the wick 41.

Having thus described m invention with particularity, with reference tothe preferred embodiment of the same, and having referred to certainmodifications thereof, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art,after understanding my invention, that other changes and modificationsmay be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of myinvention, and it is intended in the appended claims to cover suchchanges and modifications as are within the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a pyrophoric lighter having a spark-producing member, a movable,tubular first member, means urging said first member into an idleposition, a second member movable from an idle to a second position andslidable within said first member, a latch pin mounted within said firstmember and drivingly interconnecting said first and second members, saidpin being movable with said second member to a release position, meansin said release position to release said pin from one of said first andsecond members, and means drivingly interconnecting said first memberand said spark-producing member.

2. In a pyrophoric lighter having a spark-producing member, a movablefirst member having an aperture therein and having a shoulder at theedge of said aperture, spring means urging said first member into anidle position, a second member movable from an idle to a secondposition, a latch pin drivingly interconnecting said first and secondmembers and movable with said second member to a release position, saidlatch pin extending into said aperture and having a shoulder engageablewith said shoulder on said first member, means engageable with said pinin said release position to disengage said shoulders, and meansdrivingly interconnecting said first member and said spark-producinmember.

3. In a pyrophoric lighter having a sparking wheel, means for actuatingsaid wheel comprising a reciprocable, tubular first member, meansdrivingly interconnecting said first member and said wheel, a manuallymovable, reciprocable second member co-axial with said first member, alatch pin movable by said second member and in its normal positionhaving a shoulder engageable with said first member to cause said firstmember to move with said pin. spring means urging said latch pin intosaid normal position, spring means urging said first member into an idleposition, and means engageable with said pin in a predetermined positionthereof to move said shoulder out of engagement with said first member.

4. A pyrophoric lighter of the touch tip type having a casing; a burner,a sparking wheel and a torch operable, reciprocable member mounted onsaid casing, said member having a torch engageable end adjacent saidwheel; a pyrophoric material mounted on said casing in contact with saidsparking wheel; a guide tube mounted on a wall of said casing andextending therethrough; a hollow plunger surrounding a portion of saidmember and slidably engaging the interior wall of said tube, saidplunger being movable between idle and active positions; meansinterconnecting said plunger and said wheel to move said wheel onmovement of said plunger from active to idle positions; a latch pinhaving a shoulder intermediate its ends and said pin being mountedwithin said plunger with one of said ends abutting said member and withsaid shoulder engageable with said plunger; spring means urging said pintoward said member; means on said tube engageable with the end of saidpin remote from said member on movement of said pin by said member to apredetermined position to tilt said pin and disengage said shoulder ofsaid pin from said plunger; and spring means urging said plunger towardits idle position.

5. A pyrophoric lighter of the touch tip type having a casing; a burner,a sparking wheel and a torch operable, reciprocable member mounted onsaid casing, said member having a torch engageable end adjacent saidwheel; a pyrophoric material mounted on said casing in contact with saidsparking wheel; a guide cylinder mounted on a wall of said casing andextending therethrough; a hollow plunger surrounding a portion of saidmember and slidably engaging the interior wall of said cylinder, saidplunger being movable between idle and active positions; meansinterconnecting said plunger and said wheel to move said Wheel onmovement of said plunger from active to idle positions; a latch pinhaving oppositely slanted ends and. having a shoulder, said shoulderbeing intermediate said ends and said pin being mounted within saidplunger with one of said ends of said pin abutting said member and withsaid shoulder engageable with said plunger; spring means urging said pintoward said member; means on said cylinder engageable with the end ofsaid pin remote from said member on movement of said pin by said memberto a predetermined position to tilt said pin and disengage said shoulderof said pin from said plunger; and spring means urging said plungertoward its idle position.

6. A pyrophoric lighter of the touch tip type having a casing; a burner,a sparking wheel and a torch operable, reciprocable member mounted onsaid casing, said member having a torch engageable end adjacent saidwheel; a hood pivotale ly mounted on said casing and at least partlysurrounding said sparking wheel, said hood normally resting in an idleposition and being movable to an active position; a pyrophoric materialmounted on said casing in contact with said sparking wheel; a guidecylinder mounted on a wall of said casing and extending therethrough; ahollow plunger surrounding a portion of said member and slidablyengaging the interior wall of said cylinder, gear means interconnectingsaid plunger and said hood to move said hood between idle and activepositions on movement of said plunger; pawl means interconnecting saidhood and said sparking wheel to move said sparking wheel on movement ofsaid hood from active to idle positions; a latch pin having a conicalend and having an opposite end lying in a plane intersecting the axis ofsaid pin at an acute angle and furtherhaving a shoulder, said shoulderbeing intermediate said opposite end and said conical end, said pinbeing mounted within said plunger with said opposite end of said pinabutting said member and with said shoulder engageable with saidplunger; a spring acting between said pin and said plunger to urge saidpin away from a portion of said plunger; means on said cylinderengageable with said conical end of said pin on predetermined movementof said pin by said member to tilt said pin and disengage said shoulderof said pin from said plunger; and a spring acting between said plungerand said cylinder to urge said plunger away from a portion of saidcylinder.

7. A Dyrophoric lighter of the touch tip type having a casing; a burner,a sparking wheel and a torch operable, reciprocable member mounted onsaid casing, said member having a torch engageable end adjacent saidwheel; a hood pivotally mounted on said casing and at least partlysurrounding said sparking wheel, said hood normally resting in an idleposition and being movable to an active position; a pyrophoric materialmounted on said casing in contact with said sparking wheel; a guidecylinder having an open end and a closed end, said cylinder beingmounted on a wall of said casing and extending therethrough with saidclosed end within said casing; a hollow plunger surrounding a portion ofsaid member and slidably engaging the interior wall of said cylinder,said plunger having an inwardlyextending, annular shoulder at the endthereof remote from the torch engageable end of said member; gear meansinterconnecting said plunger and said hood to move said hood betweenidle and active positions on movement of said plunger; pawl meansinterconnecting said hood and said sparking wheel to move said sparkingwheel on movement of said hood from active to idle positions; acylindrical latch pin having a conical end and having an opposite endlying in a plane intersecting the axis of said pin at an acute angle andfurther having a shoulder, said shoulder being intermediate saidopposite end and said conical end, said pin being mounted within saidplunger and said annular shoulder with said opposite end of said pinabutting said member and with said shoulder engageable with said annularshoulder; a spring mounted between said pin and said annular shoulder onsaid plunger and urging said pin away from said shoulder; an annularcollar mounted within said cylinder at said closed end, the portion ofsaid collar surrounding the aperture therein being engageable with saidconical end of said pin on movement of said pin by said member to tiltsaid pin and disengage said shoulder of said pin from said annularshoulder; and a spring mounted between said plunger and said collar andurging said plunger away from said collar.

8. A pyrophoric lighter of the touch tip type having a casing; a burner,a sparking wheel and a torch operable, reciprocable member mounted onsaid casing, said member having a torch engageable end adjacent saidwheel; a hood pivotally mounted on said casing and at least partlysurrounding said sparking wheel, said hood normally resting in an idleposition and being movable to an active position; a pyrophoric materialmounted on said casing in contact with said sparking wheel; a guidecylinder having an open end and a closed end, said cylinder beingmounted on a wall of said casing and extending therethrough with saidclosed end within said casing; a hollow plunger surrounding a portion ofsaid member and slidably engaging the interior wall of said cylinder,said plunger having an inwardly-extending, annular shoulder at the endthereof remote from the torch engageable end of said member; gear meansinterconnecting said plunger and said hood to move said hood betweenidle and active positions on movement of said plunger; pawl meansinterconnecting said hood and said sparking wheel to move said sparkingwheel on movement of said hood from active to idle positions; a

cylindrical latch pin having a conical end and having an opposite endlying in a plane interconnecting the axis of said pin at an acute angleand further having a pair of shoulders, one of said pair of shouldersbeing adjacent said opposite end of said pin and the other of said pairof shoulders being intermediate said one shoulder and said conical end,said pin being mounted within said plunger and said annular shoulderwith said opposite end of said pin abutting said member and with saidother shoulder engageable with said annular shoulder; a spring mountedwithin said plunger between said one shoulder of said pin and saidannular shoulder on said plunger; an annular collar mounted within saidcylinder at said closed end, the portion of said collar surrounding theaperture therein being engageable with said conical end of said pin onmovement of said pin by said member to tilt said pin and disengage saidother shoulder of said pin from said annular shoulder; and a springmounted between the end of said plunger having said annular shoulder andsaid collar.

9. In a pyrophoric lighter having a spark-producing member, a movablefirst member, spring means urging said first member into an idleposition, a second member movable from an idle to a second position, oneof said members having an aperture therein and having a shoulder at theedge of said aperture, a latch pin drivingly interconnecting said firstand second members and movable with said second member to a releaseposition, said latch pin extending into said aperture and having ashoulder engageable with said shoulder on said one of said members tomove said first member from its idle position with movement of saidsecond member, means engageable with said pin in said release positionto disengage said shoulders and permit said first member to return tosaid idle position, and means drivingly interconnecting said firstmember and said spark-producing member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,728,866 Long Sept. 1'7, 1929 2,019,435 Blair Oct. 29, 1935

